Ret. Army Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer said Saturday on Newsmax that Pakistan is playing a key role in facilitating indirect talks between Iran and the United States, with many travel-related meetings taking place, likening the effort to Henry Kissinger's 1970s "shuttle diplomacy."
"This is the 21st-century version of that," Shaffer said of the diplomacy. He noted that Iran has avoided face-to-face contact but that Pakistani contacts said the country is "all in" on creating a path forward.
Shuttle diplomacy refers to Henry Kissinger's rapid travel between Middle Eastern capitals from 1973 to 1975 to facilitate swift negotiations and resolve the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War. He secured disengagement agreements between Israel, Egypt, and Syria, encouraging direct talks and limiting Soviet influence.
Shaffer attributed momentum for peace talks to sustained economic pressure on Iran.
"There's massive and continuous pressure on the entire economic system of Iran, which is pushing them to do something," he said.
He referenced supporting comments from War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, saying the blockade on Iran's economy is pushing Tehran toward negotiations.
Separately, Shaffer addressed reported Iranian mine-laying in the Strait of Hormuz, while Trump has ordered the U.S. Navy to "shoot and kill" boats engaged in such activity.
The U.S. Navy has positioned itself in the Gulf with a significantly expanded fleet presence since the conflict began, Shaffer said.
He described Trump's orders to target small "Boston Whaler-sized ships" used by Iranian forces. This approach is conserving assets such as A-10 aircraft while delivering precise strikes, he added.
On the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Shaffer called the force "problematic" and likened some elements to "a bunch of teenagers with weapons who have not got the memo."
Estimates place the IRGC's ground force strength above 150,000. He said the U.S. strategy thus far has focused primarily on leadership targets.
Shaffer said chaos within Iranian ranks requires Tehran to "get their act together," adding that the U.S. cannot resolve it for them.
"I think that's what's driving this right now: you have chaos, and someone's got to get their act together. But it's up to the Iranians to do that. We can't do it for them," he said.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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